Coroner: Polk woman was strangled, stabbed

Strachn's son, Christopher, 21, admitted to murdering his mother in their Polk Township home early Wednesday morning.

Allen said that results from an autopsy that was performed on Adrienne Strachn on Thursday showed that she died by strangulation and from the three stab wounds she sustained, two on her back and one on the neck. The manner of death is consistent with the small knife found at the scene, Allen said.

Allen said that Strachn, 53, had no medical issues which would make him believe that she died from any other cause.

Police have not disclosed a motive for the crime; however, according to an arrest document, Christopher Strachn admitted to killing his mother and said he had thought for some time about murdering her and the rest of the family.

Police said Strachn called 911 at 2:49 a.m. Wednesday from the home he shared with his family and told them he had choked his mother. Police said he told 911 she was lying on the kitchen floor and that he believed she was dead.

Police arrived, took Christopher Strachn into custody and found Adrienne Strachn dead on the kitchen floor with blood under her body. Police said they found a broken knife handle on a small table in the kitchen area and a broken knife blade on the living room floor.

Christopher Strachn told police he took advantage of his being alone with his mother Wednesday morning when he choked her from behind in the kitchen, where she fell to the floor, and then he stabbed her.